


petrichor

by kristyn



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 20:56:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4452071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristyn/pseuds/kristyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven, Connie, and Pearl visit the rain-soaked land of Sacrilar. Some say the ethereal deer that frequent the falls created the land themselves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	petrichor

“No, Steven, absolutely not,” Pearl said calmly, opening the door to her room.

“Aww, but Pearl! Connie and I want to check out those awesome giant deer again! I promised her I would show her!”

Pearl sighed. “Steven, the tropical forests of Sacrilar experience torrential rain for nine tenths of one earth year. Last time we were there you caught a cold! Human remedies only work so well! Who knows what you could catch next time?”

“Um, maybe another cold?”

“And you’d subject your friend to that risk?”

Steven was about to answer when a brisk knock sounded on the storm door.

Excited, Steven rushed over, greeting Connie. She wiped her feet on entering, and beamed at Pearl. She donned a shiny yellow raincoat, orange rainboots, and an umbrella which had been attached to an oversized hiking backpack.

“Hello, Ms. Pearl, ma’am! I’m ready to visit the land of Sacrilar! I’m very excited; Steven told me all about it last time he went!”

Steven gestured to his friend. “See, Pearl! You can’t say no to that face!”

Connie’s face fell. “You’re going to say no?”

She turned to Steven. “Steven, you promised me!”

Steven glanced from Pearl to Connie, and Pearl finally gave in, sighing. “Fine. But I’m going too!”

“Yes!”

After putting on his own raincoat, Steven joined Pearl and Connie on the warp pad. Pearl smiled, shaking her fists close to her chest in excitement. “Maybe I can finally show you the waterfalls!”

“That’s the spirit!” Steven said, grinning as the warp pad took them to the hidden former hunting ground of Sacrilar. As they landed, Steven and Connie prepared to shelter from the rain, only to find silence and dryness.

“Well, that’s unexpected,” Pearl commented, gazing around the forest, her hand in the air, as if checking to see if perhaps small raindrops were instead falling.

“Steven, it’s not raining!” Connie said excitedly, her fists clenched in ecstasy.

“Come on, let’s go!” Steven said, taking her hand and starting to run. He paused, then, turning back to Pearl.

She smiled. “You two have fun. I’ll check on you in an hour.”

"Thanks Pearl!!”

Steven and Connie ran through the forest, past tropical trees taller than they could see, past mushrooms bigger than Steven’s bed. They tore past glistening leaves, dripping with rainwater. Past flowers that puffed pollen into the heavy air, past insects the size of birds. They ran up and over moss hills, and seemed to be getting higher and higher.

"Steven,” Connie panted, stopping for breath. “Where are the deer?”

Steven looked around. “They should be around here…”

"Maybe… they’re only around when… it rains,” Connie suggested, still catching her breath.

"We must have just missed them, then! I’m sure they’re around here… somewhere,” Steven said, less sure.

"Let’s… let’s just sit on this cool leaf,” Connie said, bouncing on the ginormous shiny leaf they sat on.

Steven laughed. “Alright!” He gave an experimental bounce. “Heh, this is fun!”

“Wait–Steven, are we in the air?”

"Huh?”

"We’re up in a tree!”

"Wh–?”

Just then, the leaf gave way, sending Connie and Steven plummeting below. They screamed, waving their arms, trying to grab onto something on the way down. As Steven covered his head, preparing to fall to his early end, or at least severe maiming, he struck soft earth, bouncing up once, then back down on the fluffy surface.

“Whaat?” He lifted his head. Before him stretched pale blue grass as far as he could see…and then… huge, beige trees?

Beside him, Connie gasped. “Steven!!! It’s the deer!”

She stood up and grabbed Steven’s hands. “Ohh, Steven!” She let go and looked up around her at the herd. “I had no idea they were this giant!!!”

"Me neither!! I only saw them from the warp pad, I never rode them! Garnet wouldn’t let me!”

Connie laughed. “Do you think we could steer it? Or ask it to take us to Pearl? She’s in for a surprise!”

Steven nodded, determined. He climbed up the neck, leaning against the antler for balance. “Hey there! Mr. or Miss Deer!”

“Steven, he’s got antlers, he’s male!”

"Mr. Deer, unless you prefer Miss Deer, would it be ok if you could take us to Pearl? She’s the gem, probably by the waterfall! I’ll get the biggest carrot I can find for you!”

"Steven, don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

"It’d be really awesome, Mr. Deer!”

When several moments had passed with no movement, Steven sighed, sliding down the neck. “Guess he’s busy.”

Before Connie could say anything in response, the deer began walking, sending the two friends stumbling. They clung to the deer’s fur as it started walking faster, then running, then leaping.

In almost no time at all, it reached a cascading purple and pink waterfall. It lowered its head to the cliffside, where Connie and Steven hopped off.

"Thank you, Deer!” Steven called.

"It was nice meeting you!” Connie added, waving.

"Steven, did you and Connie ride a deer?”

The kids turned to see Pearl approaching from the adjacent cliffside.

“Yeah! Pearl, it was so fun! How can its fur be so soft?” Steven said.

Pearl looked disgusted. “Kids, you have no idea what is in that fur! You’re filthy!”

"I don’t feel filthy,” Connie said, looking down at herself. As if Pearl hadn’t heard her, she ushered them down to the water.

“Oh, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce you to the healing properties contained within the rushing waters of the Sacrilar falls! You’ll feel completely renewed; about a thousand years younger!”

Steven turned to Connie, shrugging. She laughed. She carefully tucked her glasses into her coat pocket before diving in after Steven. And Pearl was right. As they floated over streams of glistening violet and fuschia, giggling and holding hands, they could feel the invigorating river wash over them, cleansing them of everything. They gripped each other tighter.


End file.
